In today’s fast-paced world, we are all individuals striving for career success, practicing self-love, and fighting our own battles to carve out a space for ourselves. Spiritually, many of us profess belief in God but often for reasons shaped by tradition or personal need. Some believe because their parents passed down that faith; others cling to it in hopes of safety, comfort, or blessings. Indeed, there are some percentage of people who believe God for who He is and have experienced His power and miracles in their lives. Most of us only seek God’s grace for our own benefits and needs.

How many of us ever pause and ask: what does God want from us?

We were created not just to exist, but to connect deeply with our Creator. From the beginning, His desire has been to walk with His people (Genesis 3:8). He wants us to know Him, love Him, and trust Him wholeheartedly. God’s commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3), but are meant to bring us life and peace. He desires a heart that obeys—not out of fear, but out of love.

God’s nature is love (1 John 4:8). He created us to be with Him forever, not temporarily, but eternally. Eternal life is an expression of that love, where He invites us into everlasting fellowship with Him.

Christ had been proclaiming the good news of God during His ministry, which is: “The time has come,” He said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). The Good News is that through Jesus, God has made a way for people to be forgiven, restored, and have eternal life with Him.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And through His crucifixion, Christ gave us hope – a hope that an eternal life awaits us.

Now, who can receive that eternal life?

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:27–28).

Yes, Those who follow Him! Those who are His disciples! Now, how do you become His disciple?

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This passage is where Christ was speaking to all the disciples. Jesus shared that anybody who wants to be His disciple must follow three essential steps:

Follow Christ: The very first requirement for being His disciple is to follow Christ. “Follow Me” means: Live like I live. Trust Me. Obey Me. Go where I go. Love like I love. It’s more than just walking behind Jesus. It means becoming His disciple by learning from Him, imitating Him, and giving Him first place in life.

Deny Yourself: What does this mean? Is Jesus saying to hate yourself, lose your personality, or ignore your needs completely? No! Christ is the epitome of truth and selfless love. His crucifixion on the cross is the greatest proof of that selfless love. Christ said “no” to selfish desires that go against God’s will, surrendering control of His life to God, and choosing to live for the Father—not for comfort, success, or ego. This means that if someone insults you, instead of insulting them back, you choose to forgive them. It also means that if you get an opportunity to cheat, when your self says “No one will know, it’s an easy win,” you choose honesty, even if it costs you.

Why do you think God wants this? Because true life, peace, and purpose come when you lose yourself to gain Christ (Matthew 16:25). Following Jesus means walking a path of love, sacrifice, and eternal reward; not just comfort.

Take Up the Cross Daily: During the Roman government, the cross wasn’t just a symbol; it was an instrument of death used by the Romans for public execution. So when Jesus asked His followers to carry their cross, He was calling them to a life of daily surrender and sacrificial obedience.

It means to trust in God’s way instead of what feels easy or popular. Christ meant to endure sacrifice, rejection, pressure, or hardship, choosing to remain faithful even when life is painful or unfair. Christ meant to die to self daily, not a physical death, but dying to pride, ego, sin, selfishness; choosing humility, service, and love over self-promotion or comfort.

Why did Jesus say to carry the cross daily? Because it’s not a one-time decision. Every day, we face new challenges and choices; to follow Christ or follow self. Jesus isn’t calling you to suffer alone; He carried the cross first. He gives you strength through His Spirit to carry your cross. And He promises eternal life to those who follow Him.

What God wants from us is our wholehearted devotion, sincere faith, obedient life, humble heart, and love for others; not as a checklist, but as an outflow of a living relationship with Him through Christ. He doesn’t want perfection, but surrender. He doesn’t just want our Sunday worship, but our daily walk. One who obeys and is righteous in following all these, throughout his or her life is surely eligible for eternal life.

Let us examine ourselves and see if we are truly disciples of Christ and eligible for that eternal life. If Yes, Let us continue to follow what Christ has taught us so that we enter His Kingdom. If No, let us repent and start following His teachings so that He considers us for His Kingdom.

Amen! God Bless All !!